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The Soviet T-34 tank is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable symbols of the Red Army and its struggle against the Third Reich in the Second World War. Not surprisingly, over the years a considerable number of books and films have been dedicated to Stalin’s so-called ‘wonder tank’. Many historians, especially those in Russia, peremptorily call the T-34 the best tank of the war. In so doing, they often refer to the ‘authoritative’ opinion of Heinz Guderian and other German generals. Von Kleist, for example, is stated to have once referred to the T-34 as ‘the finest tank in the world’. But, as Dmitry Zubov sets out to explore in this book, was this the true pictur? he reality of the summer of 1941, following Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, revealed that it took the Wehrmacht only a couple of months to turn Stalin’s tank armada into little more than a pile of scrap metal. Despite this inauspicious beginning to its combat service, the myth of the T-34’s ‘invincibility’ was already being born. It was a development that, argues Dmitry Zubov, was in part driven by the Soviet propaganda machine, but also by their enemy. As the fighting wore on, the Germans became increasingly bogged down in endless operations to cover their flanks from the mythical counterattacks of Stalin’s Red Army, which by that time had actually lost most of its combat capability. But to hide the consequences of Hitler’s incompetent command, German generals had to explain the collapse of Operation Barbarossa by the incredible resilience of Soviet soldiers, the appalling ‘Russian winter’, and finally, by the ‘vast superiority’, to quote Guderian, of the T-34 tank. Between them, Hitler’s commanders argued, they had torn apart their excellent plans. These facts motivated the author to examine the real history of the creation, production, and combat use of Stalin’s ‘wonder tank’. Under the numerous layers of Soviet secrecy, myths, propaganda and outright lies, he has exposed a bitter reality. The T-34 tank was not a masterpiece of Soviet engineering, but in fact a design that, in reality, was based on plans ‘borrowed’ by Soviets from designers in the West. Produced in an incredible hurry by unskilled workers, Stalin’s ‘wonder tank’ often presented an easy target for the German panzers and anti-tank gunners, and battlefield graves for their Soviet crews.

On 24 February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an attack on Ukraine, marking the most significant European conflict since World War II. The invasion aimed to capture Kyiv and replace President Zelenskyy with a puppet regime, but the Russians faced fierce Ukrainian resistance, forcing them to retreat and re-direct their efforts to other fronts.The Battle of Kyiv chronicles the Ukrainians’ heroic resilience against a vastly more powerful enemy. Despite Russia’s population and economic superiority, Ukraine’s military, bolstered by NATO and international support, held its ground. The book details the early phase of the war, when Russian forces pushed toward Kyiv, surrounded cities like Chernihiv, seized Kherson, and threatened the Ukrainian state. U.S. intelligence predicted Kyiv’s fall within days and offered to evacuate Zelenskyy. His response: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”The book covers the fighting in Kyiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Mariupol, documenting military operations, destruction, civilian suffering, and survival struggles. Written as the battle unfolded, it provides an urgent historical account of the uncertainty, anxiety, and global significance of the war, reflecting the pivotal moments in Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion.

Standing at the base of a towering cliff, the layers of rock before you tell a story millions of years in the making. Few places on Earth reveal this tale as vividly as the Jurassic Coast of southern England. This book invites you to explore the geological, paleontological, and human history of this remarkable region, with a focus on the extraordinary life of Mary Anning.Mary Anning, a self-taught paleontologist of the early nineteenth century, made groundbreaking fossil discoveries along the cliffs of Lyme Regis. Her finds—ranging from great marine reptiles to ammonites—transformed our understanding of extinction, deep time, and evolution. Mary’s contributions not only advanced science but also sparked debates that shaped the emerging field of paleontology.Yet Mary’s story is also deeply human. As a working-class woman in Georgian England, she overcame societal barriers, navigating a world dominated by ‘gentlemen naturalists.’ Her determination and expertise earned her recognition from the prominent geologists of the time and even from figures like Charles Dickens, who celebrated her achievements in his writings.The book goes beyond Mary’s life to explore the broader context of her era. It examines the formation of the Jurassic Coast’s fossil-rich cliffs, the rise of professional geology and paleontology, and the harmonious interplay between faith and scientific discovery during the time. Mary’s story is intertwined with those of other trailblazing women who also defied societal norms to shape the emerging sciences. Together, they formed a network of pioneering women whose contributions revolutionized our understanding of Earth’s history.This is not just a story of fossils and science—it’s a tale of resilience, curiosity, and the enduring impact of those who dared to challenge societal norms, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire.

The creation of the public railway network in Britain, which began in 1825, came about due to a desire for better transport links and to improve on the existing systems of canals and roads. Naturally for a new transport scheme, financing was crucial and came with a high degree of risk. Another challenge was to be found in the limited technology available at the time. Existing railways were used principally for freight, with traction provided by horses or stationary engines. Locomotive power was still at the experimental stage. What emerged from these circumstances were independently financed schemes based on innovative engineering. The British parliament was at the heart of the process. It sanctioned each railway and was instrumental in imposing regulations and setting new standards for operation. With the success of early schemes came a greater incentive to invest in new proposals, and such was the clamour for new railways that parliament had to select the most promising concepts, thereby laying the foundations for the railway network. This first volume of The Great Railway Speculations concentrates on the early years of the creation of the Midland Railway Network, between 1825 and 1847, when the risks were high and returns higher, and the government, realising the momentous changes that were afoot, tried to keep pace.

The Germanic nations of northern Europe resisted the Romans, forcing them to confine their empire within the heavily militarized Rhine and Danube frontiers. Despite fierce wars and repeated invasions, German tribes retained their independence until, in Late Antiquity, they surged forth to overrun and dismantle the Roman Empire itself.This collection of Greek and Latin sources gives accounts of ancient Germans beyond the northern frontiers of the Roman Empire written by those who were present at the time. These records include German service in the Roman army, the impact of civil war and the origin and development of later tribal groups. Chapters cover the Batavian Revolt (AD 69-70), the Marcomannic Wars of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 166-180), and later Rhine campaigns against the Alamanni. The final chapters cover the Migration Era, with the Germanic conquest of the Roman Empire, from the Gothic invasions to the Vandal capture of North Africa.This book is a valuable resource for ancient historians, classicists, archaeologists, and interested others, featuring events from the formation of the Rhine-Danube frontiers in the first century, to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century AD.

In the mid-1990s the Spice Girls burst onto the music scene in towering platform shoes and promptly dominated the radio waves with a string of joyously catchy chart-topping anthems about female friendship. While other groups aimed for uniformity, the Spice Girls were unrefined but infectiously fun, with five distinct personalities: Scary, Baby, Ginger, Posh, and Sporty. By pairing their boundless charm with irresistible pop tunes, the Spice Girls cemented their status as icons in the annals of music history, where they remain the best-selling girl group of all time. Relive the heady days of Spicemania by taking a deep dive into the group’s discography, exploring everything from their smash hits to their underrated gems. Spice Girls: Song by Song goes behind the scenes to examine the genesis, development, and significance of each track, while revisiting major milestones in the band’s career, including their formation, their fight for creative control, their subsequent rise to superstardom, and the pressures of fame.

Among the many epithets associated with a prince, ‘unlucky’ tends not to come to mind first. Germanicus, nephew of Tiberius, grand-nephew of Augustus, seemed to possess all that a Roman man might desire: beauty, strength, virtue, education, a devoted and chaste wife, numerous offspring, illustrious ancestors, a brilliant career and the prospect of inheriting the throne of the mightiest state of antiquity. Until the Blind Goddess decided to turn her gaze elsewhere. Germanicus died suddenly in AD 19, aged only 33, shocking the Roman world. While his body was still warm, rumours about a murder involving poison were already spreading like wildfire, whispers of an uncle and a grandmother who, for fear and jealousy, had made sure the popular young man was eliminated before he might jeopardize their position. Alessio Perry investigates, by a careful re-evaluation of the historical sources and the archaeological record, whether this prince was indeed killed or whether he was just too unlucky. He examines the most significant events of Germanicus’ brief life: the campaigns on the Rhine; his visit to Egypt; his friction with the governor Piso; his relationship with his uncle the emperor. He considers Germanicus’ funerals and follows the trial against those suspected of his murder, seeking to ascertain if Tiberius really ordered his nephew killed. The reader will glimpse into the schemes of his wife Agrippina and, finally, see how the memory of Germanicus was instrumentalized by his widow and sons for their own political games.

Many of us have at least one ancestor who served in the British Army during the Second World War. We probably know where they served and what regiment they served with but we are not aware of exactly how they became soldiers.The British Soldier: Training for War focuses on those who became infantry soldiers, commandos and paratroopers and the training they received in the British Isles to fight ''at the sharp end'' of combat all over the world during the years 1939 to 1945.Drawing on contemporary training manuals, battalion histories, magazines and newspaper articles, personal memoirs, regimental museum archives, declassified military files and interviews with those who experienced wartime military training first-hand, a vivid and authentic account is presented of training from ''square bashing'' and skill at arms to the evolution of battle schools, assault courses, battle drill and significant training exercises.All infantrymen were trained hard but it gave them the skills, fighting spirit, endurance and confidence they needed in themselves, their comrades and their unit when in battle. By the end of the Second World War, nearly three million men had served in the British Army. Every one of them had to be trained to become soldiers. This is their story.

The term ?fighter ace? grew in prominence with the introduction and development of aerial combat in the First World War. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ?ace? has varied but is usually considered to be five or more.For the Luftwaffe, a number of its fighter pilots, many of whom had fought with the Legion Condor in Spain, had already gained their Experte, or ace, status in the Battle of France. However, many more would achieve that status in the hectic dogfights over southern England and the Channel during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. A number would also be either killed or captured. Some of these men, individuals such as Adolf Galland, Werner Mölders, and Helmut Wick, who between them had claimed 147 aerial victories by 31 October 1940, are well-known, but most are less so.In this book, the story of each of the Luftwaffe?s 204 Messerschmitt Bf 109 ?aces? from the summer of 1940 is examined, with all of the individual biographies, detailing individual fates during the war, being highly-illustrated throughout. Original German records from the summer of 1940, have been examined, providing a definitive list of each pilot?s individual claims. It also covers, to a lesser extent, those forgotten fifty-three Messerschmitt Bf 110 pilots who also achieved ace status by day and also by night between 10 July and 31 October 1940.

In the late afternoon of 24 June 1944, eighteen aircraft from 617 Squadron, led to fame by Wing Commander Guy Gibson during the attack on the dams raid in May 1943, took off from their base at Woodhall Spa. Their target was the vast V2 rocket site at Wizernes in the Pas de Calais. Known today as La Coupole, this bunker complex had been built to serve as a reinforced launch site for the V2s that Hitler hoped would terrorise the British population.Once their target had been marked, the Lancasters dropped Tallboy bombs. Bomb bursts were recorded all around the target. The Dambusters, however, did not go unchallenged. One of the attackers, Lancaster DV403, flown by Flight Lieutenant John Edward DFC and coded KC-G, was hit by flak. The flight engineer, Flying Officer W.J. King DFC, died instantly. One of the Lancaster’s engines stuttered and the aircraft began to burn.Edward valiantly tried to hold course long enough for the rest of the crew to answer the ‘Abracadabra’ call to bale out. A Resistance worker saw crew members falling ‘like candles’ below their parachutes.Moments later DV403 hit the growing crops in nearby French fields. The Lancaster carried, unusually, eight crew. The pilot and all three gunners were dead.In the chaos of the moment, the courage of one member of the French Resistance, undertaker André Schamp, stood out. He assisted a wounded crewman, while also checking for other survivors.The story of DV403 has been recently honoured in France on the 80th anniversary, with an exhibition, lectures and a wayside interpretation board compiled by the authors, who have encouraged strong involvement of crewmen’s families in the evolving narrative. This is the story of their fate that night, as well as of 617 Squadron’s attack on the V2 site as a whole.

The English Electric/BAC Lightning, a product of Britain’s once-thriving aviation industry, is arguably the most iconic single-seat interceptor ever created. Those who remember its arrow-shaped form hurtling skywards love to regale anyone who will listen with tales of its incredible performance, eardrum-assailing reheat and near-vertical climbs. The Lightning was advanced for its time and required considerable investment and research to take it from the drawing board to active service as an effective fighting machine. Significant strides were made in the early years after the award of the contract—all of which could have come to nothing when it was deemed in the 1957 Defence White Paper that piloted aircraft had had their day. The design was saved only by its advanced stage of development; as is often the case in flight, turbulence is to be expected. But despite the obstacles put in its path, the Lightning prevailed to become one of Britain’s most admired and respected fast jets. Taking the reader through the politics that threatened its development, its groundbreaking design, its service career and many other aspects of its extraordinary history, Lightning: From Inception to Preservation is a comprehensive study of Britain’s first and only truly homegrown supersonic jet-powered interceptor.

On 3 September 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allies. This was an immediate threat to Germany’s southern flank and Hitler acted swiftly.As part of what was codenamed Operation Achse, on 8 September 1943 the 2. Fallschirmjäger Division was ordered into Rome to take control of the city, disarm those Italian units based there, and crush any resistance. However, the Italian Army headquarters in the nearby town of Monterotondo refused to surrender. The task of dealing with this outpost, as well as capturing the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army, General Mario Roatta, was handed to one battalion of German paratroopers, the II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6, commanded by Major Walter Gericke.Gericke’s men were dropped onto Monterotondo on 9 September. The paratroopers soon encountered fierce opposition from the Italian defenders. The latter stubbornly held out all day until the headquarters was finally captured.Three combat war correspondents had jumped with the Fallschirmjäger. Between them they took hundreds of photographs, most of which had never been seen in print before. Drawing on their reports and first-hand accounts from those involved in the fighting, a vivid and comprehensive picture of the battle has been constructed.Each of the main actions in the battle for the town is described. These included the battles for Monterotondo’s railway station, the Santa Maria stadium and the Osteria del Grillo, the Capuchin Convent, and culminating in the desperate struggle and eventual capture of the Italian headquarters at the Orsini Palace.The book also includes analysis of losses on both sides, biographies of the main commanders and the original plan of what was considered to be the ‘perfect’ drop. Despite the success of Major Gericke’s battalion, it would prove to be one of the last airborne landings undertaken by Hitler’s Fallschirmjäger in the Second World War.

Singapore 1942. This is the story of Captain Mohan Singh, 14 Punjab Regiment, the first commander of the Indian National Army (INA) supported by Japan to expel the British from India. Of the soldiers who found it a great attraction or an impossible dilemma. Of the great risk Singh took in breaking with the Japanese when he realised they were not sticking to their promises. Of Subhash Chandra Bose’s tryst with destiny when he was then called to take over the mantle. Of the thousands of INA men who died of sickness & starvation in Burma. Of those who fought bravely when they got a chance. Of how though the INA was a Paper Tiger in battle, it was a Propaganda Lion after the war and hastened independence.It is the story of Lieutenant MM Pillai’s daring escape from Singapore. Of Warrant Officer John Baptist Crasta, one of 17,000 Indian POWs sent to hard labour camps in the Pacific, of whom over 10,000 died. Of the war crimes trials held by the Australians for Japanese atrocities against these POWs where Subedar Chint Singh was a key witness. Finally, it is the story of wives waiting for 5 years with little news of their soldier husband.How the INA was started 18 months before Bose reached and what happened to Indian soldiers when Mohan Singh disbanded the first INA, is a lesser known chapter of Indian and World War II history that deserves more telling. Hazarika’s narrative using their largely unpublished words & interviews with family members, is a gripping story of loyalty, of daring escapes and double crosses, and adversity in captivity. He appeals for more commemoration of these soldiers.

When teenagers emerged as a unique television audience in the early nineties, the way stories were told on screen changed forever. Overnight vampires became about more than just horror, soap operas got a new lease on life and high school became the new home for clever, creative drama. In the years since the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer television has changed wildly, but teen dramas have remained a constant throughout.This is the story of what teenage tastes did to television. It’s the story of how music became an essential part of these worlds, how these shows incorporated a wealth of pop culture, and how the networks who staked their claim on the teen market became the homes of so many iconic and beloved shows. This is a history of how massive online subcultures sprang up around TV shows about high school, hell, cliques, cheerleaders and subverted cliches.Alongside Buffy, shows like Supernatural, Gilmore Girls and Riverdale have become cult classics; telling weird, unexpected and off-the-wall stories and building up hordes of obsessive, caring fans. The story behind these shows, how they came to be, the networks that nurtured them and the people that loved them, is essential to understanding television today. This is more than just television; these are teen dramas.

This book contains a selection of mainly unpublished photographs from the vast collection of railway photos and slides held in the archives of the Manchester Locomotive Society, founded in 1935, and based at their clubrooms on Stockport station. Many were taken by the original members of the club during the 1930s and in the post-war period of the early 1950s. Their locations range from Stafford in the south to Shap in the north and Shrewsbury/Llandudno in the west to Peak Forest in the east and their dates range from the Victorian era to the present day. Most of the photos are of locomotives and trains of the London & North Western and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways and the successor LMS Company, but the range includes some Midland and Great Western subjects.The book will be of interest to railway historians and modellers of the period and timescales portrayed and to those just fascinated by the railways of the industrial north-west and the magnificent scenery of the locations in North Wales, the Peak and Lake Districts.

This is the story of the 2/5th Sherwood Foresters, a Territorial battalion that during the span of the Second World War developed from a group of untrained young men from Derbyshire into a hardened unit of veterans from every corner of Britain, capable of facing, and beating, the might of the Wehrmacht. It provides a unique view on the British army through the lens of a single battalion, drawing on over 150 personal accounts, both oral and written, as well as official documents. This first volume takes the story from the formation of the battalion in 1939, through its baptism of fire at Dunkirk and reconstruction in the UK, to the Allied victory in North Africa. The second volume will cover the battalion’s experiences in the Italian campaign and post-war occupation, through to its disbandment in 1946. Together they describe the exertions of training, the terrors of battle, the hardships of captivity, and the challenges brought by peace. Sherwood Boys: Biography of a Battalion is a personal history, a battalion epic researched, assembled and written for readers wanting to comprehend the Second World War from the perspective of the ordinary British soldier. It is written as a tribute to those ordinary men who were called upon to do the extraordinary—and did so.